Foot-cleaner



R. SHALER & C. B. ROGERS.

FOOT CLEANER.

Patented `July y31. 1860.

UNTTED sTaTEs PATENT onirica.

REUBEN SHALER, OF MADISON, AND CALV IN B. ROGERS, OF DEEP RIVER, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS TO C. B. ROGERS AND J. ROGERS, OF DEEP RIVER, CONNECTICUT, AND I. CHAMPION, OF JERSEY CITY, YEY JERSEY.

FOOT-CLEANER.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 29,443, dated July 31, 1860.

To aZ'Z 'whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, REUBEN SHALER, of Madison, in the county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, and CALVIN B. ROGERS, of Deep River, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented a certain Improvement in Foot-Cleaners, the construction and operation of which we have described in the following specication and illustrated in its accompanying drawings wit-h sufficient clearness to enable competent and skilful workmen in the artsvto which it pertains or is most nearly allied to make and use our invention.

Our said invention consists in combining` with a foot scraper, one or more brushes of a round form hung contiguous to the endvor ends of the scraper, upon an axis or axes placed crosswise of the line of the edge of the scraper, in such a manner that it or they may be rotated by the action of the foot in the operation of cleaningit upon the scraper, substantially as set forth below.

The accompanying drawings represent our invention as follows:

Figure l is a vertical section, the part-s being set in a common pan, such as is usually employed for supporting a foot scraper. This View represents the parts which lie at the right hand of the line X X in Fig. 3, and toward the top of the page from the plane indicated by the line marked with the same letters in Fig. 4. Fig. 2 is a like View of the parts which lie at the left hand side of the line Y Y, as drawn across Fig. 3, and toward the bottom of the page from the line indicated by the same letters in Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the working parts, the side of the pan being broken away to allow all the parts to be seen. Only a small portion of the pan is shown, there being nothing about the construction of the remainder of it that is considered new. Fig. 4 is a plan of the working parts with the central portion of the pan.

l, is the pan, in the center of which the scraper 2, is supported on the pedestal 3, as represented. In most respects these parts do not differ materially from what is now invcgommon use.

4, 4, are the brushes placed at the ends of the scraper to clean the sides of the boot or shoe. These brushes are cylindric, though it is obvious that they may be conical, or

i tapered toward the ends like abarrel. They are hung upon axes 5, 5, in the arms or hangers 6, and these last are hung upon axes 7, upon which they vibrate, in the lugs 8, which are cast with, and form a part of the pan. The vibration thus allowed is nearly in the direction of a line parallel to the edge of the scraper. The motion toward the scraper is restricted by the contact of the arm 6, with the end of the scraper, and the brushes are ordinarily kept up to this position by the elastic rubber spring 9, which is a band or belt of india rubber extending around and embracing the arms 6, and by its elasticity drawing them toward each other. This spring is kept from rising up on the pedestal by the pin 10, which acts as a stop for that purpose. Similar pins 11, prevent the band or spring 9, from falling too low upon the arms 6.

The parts are so proportioned as to allow the hollow of a boot or shoe of limited size to be introduced between the brushes 4, 4, fitting snugly, but not perha s moving the arms or hangers 6, apart. s the foot is drawn back, the wider portion of it pressing against the brushes expands -the distance between them, so that, the foot is allowed to pass between them its whole length if desired, the brushes during the whole time coming in contact with the boot or shoe and cleaning its sides. As the foot is introduced between these brushes, the downward pressure and friction thus exerted upon the side brushes turns them partially around, thus giving a fresh surface of the brush at each introduction of the foot. This greatly conduces to the cleanliness of the brush, not only by giving a constantly changing surface, but also by revolving it in such a manner as to facilitate the drying and d-'ischarge of the dirt from every part of it.

4l2, is a brush placed parallel to the scraper, and hung upon an axis in brackets or hangers 13, attached t-o the scraper' or the pedestal upon which it is supported. It is set suiiiciently closely to the scraper to move with some friction either against the scraper or the pedestal, and the top of it being set at about the same height as the top of the scraper, the drawing of the foot across the scraper very naturally revolves the brush 12. it being however held with sufficient friction to have very considerable effect in removing the particles of dirt left by the scraper.

We are aware that brushes which neither revolve nor yield to the lateral pressure of the foot otherwise than by the flexure o the bristles, have been used before in combination With foot Scrapers, and such a combination We do not claim. Neither do We claim a revolving brush, separately considered, as such.

The particular improvement Which We claim as constituting our said invention, is-

The combination With a foot scraper of the brushes 4, 4, or either of them, placed contiguous to the ends or end of the scraper, 

